JOGL

There has been numerous softwareprojects binding OpenGL to Java. The author has experience with two of them: Magician and Gl4java [1] . Both are discontinued, and since 2007 JOGL [2] seems to be the natural choice for simple development in Java.

Setup

Which strategy you choose is up to you. My choice is to use NetBeans, also for OpenGL-development.

Direct download

You may go to the JOGL homesite [2] , download the needed libraryfiles and include them in your working environment.

NetBeans

If you use NetBeans 6.5+ [3] , a set of plugins for OpenGL-development based on JOGL is available. Select plugins and search for: "NetBeans OpenGL Pack".

If you go for the NetBeans solution you simply.

• download the zipped plugin
• unzip it, and find a series of nbm - files
• start NB and select Tools/Plugins
• select tab: Downloaded and locate your unpacked files

Once installed you have a lot of support for your OpenGL development:

• 3 template projects, File / New Project, select Java
• a series of examples, File / New project, select Samples / Java/OpenGl
• access to description of the OpenGL implementation, select Tools / OpenGL Capabilities
• editors for GLSL (Shading Language), File / New File, select OpenGL

The first thing you may want to do is to select File / New Project, and select "JOGL Application (Form Designer,GL Canvas)".

Run it and you should get something like this: